Commitment and enthusiasm to learn were key ingredients in the success of two recent graduates who were awarded VET Exhibitions for their efforts in their final years of school. 

Exhibitions are awarded to the eligible student who has demonstrated the most outstanding performance in an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) VET Certificate II or higher in their final year of schooling.  

Kadijah Brown from St Norbert College received a VET Exhibition for Business and Financial Services; Information and Communications Technology, after completing an Aboriginal School-Based Traineeship with BHP which included a Certificate II in Business.  

Kadijah Brown studied at St Norbert College at was awarded a VET Exhibition for Business and Financial Services; Information and Communications Technology

She gained valuable skills and experience as an administrative assistant rotating through different departments and travelling regularly to mine sites. 

In addition to this traineeship, Kadijah also undertook a Certificate II in Community Services with SMYL, working at Bentley Primary School.   

St Norbert Acting Head of Careers and VET, Karen Gonsalves, said Kadijah’s success in such a diverse and challenging pathway was due to her embracing all learning opportunities. 

She added that Kadijah had: “made a positive contribution to the college community as the vice-captain for Tongerlo House . . . [through her] sporting pursuits and as a member of the college’s Aboriginal and Indigenous Students’ Group, where she acted as a mentor to younger students and a spokesperson on Aboriginal culture for school events and assemblies.” 

BHP offered ongoing employment to Kadijah following her successful traineeship. 

It was a similar story for budding chef Liam Brnic who completed a Cert II in Hospitality at Mater Dei College, along with 110 hours of work experience with the Crown workplace program. 

Liam received the VET Exhibition for Hospitality/Tourism and is now undertaking an apprenticeship at Crown, using the culinary and leadership skills he honed in his school hospitality program. 

Liam Brnic studied at Mater Dei College and was awarded the VET Exhibition for Hospitality/Tourism

No stranger to success, in 2018 Liam placed third in the Hospitality Group Training Taste of the Future Schools Competition and won the gold the following year at the World Skills regional competition in Hospitality. 

Mater Dei College Career and VET Coordinator, Tara Hill, said Liam was a bright, dedicated person with a friendly personality and caring attitude. 

“He is an extremely reliable person who completes all tasks at a high standard; his work is always of a high quality, paying attention to detail,” she said. 

“He is extremely motivated . . . [he] works well independently and builds good relationships.” 

Morgan Mullins, who completed Year 12 at Mandurah Catholic College in 2019, received the VET Exhibition for Retail and Personal Services, and is now employed by Haven Medi Spa, where she worked as a trainee for her studies. 

Morgan Mullins studied at Mandurah Catholic College and was awarded the VET Exhibition for Retail and Personal Services

The College’s Head of Vocational Education and Training, Michelle Lucas, said that Morgan had known since Year 10 that she was aiming to work in the beauty industry. 

“Morgan was determined to achieve very high results so she could pursue her dream,” she said. 

“I was reluctant at first because she had the grades to do ATAR but [she] decided VET was the best pathway moving forward,”  

Morgan is looking forward to completing a Diploma in Beauty Therapy at South Metropolitan TAFE this year. 

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